[interview] INJAKMATI (grindcore from Jakarta, Indonesia)

Originally published in issue #11 of Ploppy Pants, this interview is with Dolly, guitarist and mastermind behind the Indonesian crust/grind outfit INJAKMATI. Scottish fast-hardcore band ATOMGEVITTER (whom Roddy, the interviewer is a part of) will be touring with them in July through Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia so it seems like a good time to republish their chat from late 2009 - enjoy!

Dolly, my brother how are ya? How is the Indonesian summer? We’re freezing our asses off over here right now!! So let's start with introductions, who are INJAKMATI, when did you start, who plays what and what does the band name mean in English?

Dolly: Hey Roddy my blood brother! ciamar a tha thu?! How's BLACK SISTER and ATOMGEVITTER doing? I'm good. Summer has just begun here so get ready to feel the most extreme heat as hell! INJAKMATI started in the middle of the 2000's by me on guitar and insults, Benny(vox), Gamebell (bass), and Ade (drums). Today the line-up is me/Dolly Patchaos (guitar + insults), Adit Riot (bass) and Ranggaukkus (drums).When the time most people read this we will have a new singer. The band's name means step/tread you till death. It is supposed to have a space in between the name: Injak Mati, but that doesn't look cool hehe...

Injakmati is based out of Jakarta, Indonesia so tell us a little about the scene over there, How did you guys come to be exposed to punk in the first place? How and when did the Indonesian scene develop?

Dolly: The scene here existed in the early 90's. At that time only a few local bands were playing but there were a lot of squats and kids who were into punk and hardcore. The scene is getting bigger everyday, especially when we become more connected to other punks around the world via the internet (MySpace?). We can get more info about punk activities and bands, so the communication is stronger. All of these things are easier compared to a few years ago, and the good news is that there have been many good responses about Indonesian punk.

What does it mean to be a punk in Indonesia, do you get a lot of trouble from ‘normal’ people on the street? Does playing in the band help you guys deal with your daily lives over there?

Dolly: I think every one has their own opinion on why they decided to be a punk, but for me punk is a place where I can get more freedom, happiness, love, peace and comradeship/brotherhood; that has all contributed to my attraction to punk. All the shit things I see in this shitty world -- war, lies, repression and greed, I don't want any of it. So it is through the band where I feel I can spread and scream our anger and peace message to the world and hope to make a change. I know it's hard work but at least we can contribute a little. Most people who don't understand yet about what punk is about might think and see that punx are just a bunch of scumbags. That is such a big mistake when they only judge a book by its cover. So I think as long as we maintain our attitude without harming anyone else we will never get any trouble because that was never what we wanted.

You describe yourselves as old grind/fast punk bulldozers and I would definitely agree that you manage to create a pretty raw assault that sounds like a bulldozer crushing your house but what does this slogan mean to you, who were the bands that you had in mind when you started the band, were you aiming for a certain sound or did it all happen organically?

Dolly: Well I used this slogan after I heard the result of our first recording in 2009. Old grind/punk fathers and some freaky bands I have in mind like NAPALM DEATH, TERRORIZER, HERESY, ASSUCK, PHOBIA, CRIPPLE BASTARDS, GRIDE, UNHOLY GRAVE, AGATHOCLES, FIGHTING COUGARS, DISRUPT, MINDFLAIR, etc has really influenced me to get on a ride on an old bulldozer with full speed and then crushing/destroying all the shit things in sight, while keeping the DIY punk flag flying high! The music created at the time simply flowed with our minimalist skills and instruments.

The lyrics of INJAKMATI cover typical punk topics like war and the DIY scene but the lyrics to the song Disgrace where you seem to be attacking students really stood out for me. Could you please explain what this song is about? Are there any issues in particular that you feel strongly should be represented in your lyrics?

Dolly: Disgrace is a portrait of some stupid Indonesian students' behaviour who engage in a kind of barbaric entertainment on the street or at their school/college. You can see it almost everyday! They fight each other for irrational reasons. This is ridiculous to me! I don't discredit them but I just don't understand why the so-called intelligent people like them act like they have no brains. And ironically when some of them go into power after they have graduated, they use that power to fool other people. They only think for themselves as a result of their greed and never gives a fuck about the poor who is supposed to be supported by them. This is so sad! Education in here is so expensive and so fucked up! My only message of this song is: please stop this madness!

Your first release was a split 7” with BLACK SISTER and I know you have a few other releases lined up. Is this an important part of the band for you guys, to be able to release a lot of different records in different countries? Have you had any feedback on your releases so far?

Dolly: This is exactly what we wanted as a DIY underground band! By sharing records it can be help us connect with other DIY bands/punks around the world. Creating communication and doing a trade which can definitely result in a beautiful friendship! That is what I'm feeling. And yeah, so many trade and split requests coming to us since our 1st release with our metalhead brothers!

INJAKMATI has only just played your first live show and as I understand it ended in a drunken riot. Why did it take you so long to play a live show and what was the trouble that night? Is this kind of chaos typical at shows in Indonesia?

Dolly: I think this can happen at gigs anytime, anywhere. Actually, riots at shows almost never happens here. We were just the lucky bastards who got thrown a boot from that fucking drunken master when we played that night, haha... Line-up changes and other activities outside the band such as earning money to take care of our arses and family have make us progress slowly so we have to look for the right time to play shows.

And speaking of live shows a lot of DIY bands from Europe and the USA seem to be touring Southeast Asia these days. What has been the reaction to this within the Indonesian scene, are folk happy to see these foreign acts coming over?

Dolly: Yeah, touring bands from abroad has always gotten a good welcome from the kids here and we have really enjoyed the shows!

Ok, this one is for you Dolly. We first made contact through your patch-making business and I think this possibility for 2 people from opposite sides of the world to build a relationship is one of the best aspects of the DIY underground. What do think, have you had a lot of positive experiences through your patch business?

Dolly: I get a lot of positive experiences through this which I don't only consider as a business but also a true friendship. This is also the way for me to know/meet other people from other parts of the world and create a brotherhood. This is amazing and beautiful for me! I remember the first time you contacted me when you were in FIGHTING COUGARS and played a show with AVSKUM; you got a patch from them with my DIY handwriting on the back. It's been a long time ago! From patches to our split 7” to this interview! Wow! We've had a fantastic relationship until now! And finally to be meeting you face to face in 2011!!

There seems to be a hell of a lot of bands in Indonesia right now (I certainly get enough messages coming to the Problem? Records MySpace looking for a record deal!) but the quality of a lot of these bands is not exactly the best... which bands should we be looking out for from Indonesia right now? Which bands are setting your stereos on fire?

Dolly: Yeah, lots of new bands are born almost everyday here! Some of them are really dead serious to play! This sounds stupid because I don't know which bands I should recommend since we have different tastes. My tape and CD player has been broken for a long time already so I am unable to play a lot of records these days. I also don't really have the time to check out bands properly. Sorry!

As you guys know, in Ploppy Pants zine we want to hear your stories of pant shitting disasters so please, I hope the INJAKMATI boys will not disappoint!!

Dolly: Hahaha! This one I like! I'm happy to get my turn to tell my own. Well, I had diarrhoea a few years ago. On the last few days when I was feeling better, I ran to the toilet but I didn't make it fast enough to get my underwear down so the shit came out faster than when I saw it! I was really happy! You know why? My shit was normal again. :)

Ok guys that’s it, thanks for answering my questions and please take this space to add whatever you like!!

Dolly: I thank you so much for doing this interview with us. I hope you understand my English. I also wanna thank you for all your kindness, help and support to me and INJAKMATI since the beginning. You are my DIY hero, Roddy! I've learnt so much from you about true friendship, DIY, English and whatever else that I can't say here. Thanks to the people who read this! Please get in touch for INJAKMATI merch, trades, split requests, friendship, insults or to get some patches done or T-shirt printing from me, Just write for my DIY price list! Friendship gu brath!

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Check out INJAKMATI at www.myspace.com/injakmati or email injakmati@rocketmail.com

Dolly can be contacted at www.myspace.com/dzpatchaos or at dpsprinting@ymail.com

Interview conducted by Roddy of Ploppy Pants zine/ATOMGEVITTER, who will be touring Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore this July with FAMILY MAN (German old-school hardcore), INJAKMATI, and MICHAEL CRAFTER (Sydney posiviolence). Tour brought to you by the good people at Revulsion Records and 7x0x7 -- keep your eyes peeled for more info out soon!

ATOMGEVITTER news can also be seen at atomgevitter.blogspot.com.